A gap year is usually filled with fun and, hopefully, some practical learning experiences. If you are a big sports fan, perhaps netball coaching abroad in Ghana may be just the thing for you. You will not only be able to teach your skills to some ardent young fans of the sport, you will also learn a lot in return.
You will work with netball players at the schools in local townships; netball is slowly but surely gaining popularity in Ghana, with many young players keen to train hard and play for their country. Your role will be to come up with interesting and fun training and playing sessions, where you will teach all the necessary skills required for the sport. You will have players ranging in age from under 10’s to 18. Although they may all differ in physical ability, experience and communication, each player will have something to offer to the team. You must inspire and be inspired by their efforts to want to play like a star. Many of the players come from very poor backgrounds and may have never played netball before, so your efforts in these projects will make a huge difference in their lives by introducing this sport as a hobby, or for them to possibly take it to a higher level.
You will have plenty of help and support when working as a volunteer coaching abroad. Local coaches and the country team will be there for you should you need any assistance in coaching techniques and other matters. Although you will see a lot of talent and enthusiasm amongst the players here, you will also see the players lack experience in team structure and training. With you introducing the basic skills of passing, shooting and position holding, you will be surprised at the way the players pick up the rules quickly.
You will have plenty to learn in Ghana too. Being a country rich in culture, it has a lot to offer newcomers. With an open mind you can enhance important skills and traits that will help you in your future life, including patience, resilience, the importance of friendship and achieving goals. In addition to coaching, you will also have the opportunity to teach school subjects to children. Subjects like English, math, science and IT are areas where they need help from those with a western-based education.
Your time coaching abroad will be one where you will not only create many precious memories, but also where you will make friendships of a lifetime. You will return home with a sense of fulfilment and know you made a difference in many young lives.